Difference between vowels and consonants

If speech sounds are studied from the point of view of their production by man's organs of speech, it is the differences and similarities of their articulation that are in the focus of attention. A speech sound is produced as a result of definite coordinated movements and positions of speech organs, so the articulation of a sound consists of a set of articulatory features.Grouping speech sounds according to their major articulatory features is called an articulatory classification.According to the specific character of the work of the speech organs, sounds in practically all the languages are subdivided into two major subtypes: VOWELS (V) and CONSONANTS (C).

There are 1) articulatory, 2) acoustic and 3) functional differences between V and C.

The most substantial articulatory difference between vowels and consonants is that in the articulation of V the air passes freely through the mouth cavity, while in making C an obstruction is formed in the mouth cavity and the airflow exhaled from the lungs meets a narrowing or a complete obstruction formed by the speech organs.

Consonants articulations are relatively easy to feel, and as a result are most.conveniently described in terms of PLACE and MANNER of articulation.Vowels have no place of obstruction, the whole of speech apparatus takes place in their formation, while the articulation of consonants can be localized, an obstruction or narrowing for each C is made in a definite place of the speech apparatus.The particular quality of Vs depends on the volume and shape of the mouth resonator, as well as on the shape and the size of the resonator opening. The mouth resonator is changed by the movements of the tongue and the lips.The particular quality of Cs depends on the kind of noise that results when the tongue or the lips obstruct the air passage. The kind of noise produced depends in its turn on the type of obstruction, on the shape and the type of the narrowing. The vocal cords also determine the quality of consonants.

2) From the acoustic point of view, vowels are called the sounds of voice, they have high acoustic energy, consonants are the sounds of noise which have low acoustic energy

3) Functional differences between Vs and Cs are defined by their role in syllable formation: Vs are syllable forming elements, Cs are units which function at the margins of syllables, either singly or in clusters.These differences make it logical to consider each class of sounds independently.